By: Edzorna Francis Mensah
The Ministry of Education promises to investigate reported malpractices and apply appropriate sanctions to heads of schools found to have condoned unauthorized practice.
According to the sector Minister, the practice of some schools not printing examination papers for students, not organizing mock examinations, and requesting that children “write this term’s examinations” in their schoolbook has not been approved by the Ministry or the Ghana Education Service.
He told Parliament on Monday 4th December 2023 that “I am not aware of this practice”, but was quick to add that, when such acts are reported such heads will be punished accordingly.
The Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum who responding to a Parliamentary question by Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu MP for Medina mentioned that “the policy reasoning behind the act of some schools not printing examination papers for students, not organizing mock examinations, and requesting that children write this term’s examinations in their school books”, stressed that “one of the key funding mechanisms for basic schools in the country is the capitation grant.
The capitation grant was introduced in the 1990s resulting in the abolishing of the fee payment system in public basic schools.
The grants received by these schools are expected to be applied in the payment of goods and services including printing and related expenditure for examination.
The Minister in related development said, the infrastructure needs of schools including furniture are being assessed in collaboration with Ghana Education Service for consideration in future interventions. This was his respond to a question asked by Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, MP for Wa East on what specific steps are being taken to provide furniture for the over seven thousand pupils who currently sit on the floor in schools in the Wa East District.
